Learning Objectives

After this lesson, students will be able to:

 recognize the components of inferring

 define key terms, including 'infer' and 'intended meaning'
 practice inferring using familiar text

   Lesson
 
   Course
29K views

Length
1 hour

Curriculum Standards
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.10
By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and
poems, in the grades 9-10 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as
needed at the high end of the range.
 CCCS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including
figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word
choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place;
how it sets a formal or informal tone).

Instructions
 To build background knowledge, have students watch the Study.com video What is
Inference? - How to Infer Intended Meaning for homework.
 The next day, review the major points in the video, including the terms 'inference' and
'intended meaning'. Check for understanding.
 Practice inferring with students by reading the following riddles:
o What always runs but never walks, has a bed but doesn't sleep, and a mouth
but never speaks? (river)
o What two things can you never eat before breakfast? (lunch and dinner)
o What is round at the end and high in the middle? (Ohio)
 After each riddle, ask students the following questions:
o What did you know that helped you infer the answer?
o What questions did you ask yourself to help infer the answer?
o What method did you use to determine if your answer was correct?
  Next, have students create a three column chart. Label the sections 'Character',
'Inference', 'Evidence'.
 Read or tell the story of Little Red Riding Hood. As you read, have students write
character names, characteristics they infer about the character, and evidence they use
to draw this conclusion. For example:

Inferenc
Character Evidence
e
Red Riding Hood Naughty She disobeyed her parents.

Extensions
 Have students create their own riddles to share with you or other students. Follow the
same questioning process from above.
 Ask students to find lyrics of their favorite songs. Infer meaning based on what they
know about the author, the text, and their personal connection to the text.